Hero Run: Courier Coffee in the Oregonian

Three months ago, if you’d told me I’d be drinking something other than Stumptown, I’d have kicked you in the shins and laughed in your face.

But it happened. I found a new deliciousness. A new obsession.

The beans come by bike. In a mason jar with a hand-drawn label (taped on with cello tape). They appear on my porch in the dark hours. The home delivery alone was endearing and charming enough, but then the beans. Sweet lovin’ jesus. The coffee. Incredible. Smooth. Wonderful.

A little research revealed that Joel Domreis, who’s responsible for this delectable madness, is a true master. An artist-scientist coffee-roasting perfectionist.

It was raining on the day I visited and the roasting room was warm. Bikes parked near a big, green roaster.

Domreis is unassuming and quiet — and really, really smart. It was probably one of the most enjoyable interviews I’ve ever done and I spent the entire time secretly hoping that the boys of Courier Coffee would invite me back to be their cozy confines again in the very near future.

Japanese glass, painstakingly brewed beans and a science-experiment level of excitement and wonder? Yes!

I want more. More science, more coffee, more cozy days in the roasting room. But mostly, just more magical people like this in my life. People who draw “blog entries” on paper and then tape them to the sliding glass door:

Whatever you do, visit one of the many cafes that serves these wonderful beans and have a taste. It’s worth a special trip – I promise. For a full list of businesses that serve Courier Coffee, visit the site. For a compelling and quirky into the business of roasting the perfect bean, peep the blog.

Finally, a major-big-time shout out to friend/reader/superstar JJ Fantastic, who tipped me off about Joel and his magic coffee roasting machine.

[...] in the Travel section, check it out here. Complete photo gallery here. Heidi also wrote about us here, on her blog The Everyday Athlete. On the coffee front we have some new samples coming to us from [...]